Pedagogy: Best practices

A full-day “block” course

For “block” courses lasting a whole day, or even several full days in a row, choosing a teaching modality (in class on site with alternate groups, live streaming, blended learning, full distance learning) will depend on a range of factors, including health conditions and decisions made by respective UNIGE departments/centres/institutes, as well as faculty preferences,  but also the fatigue caused by relatively intense days.

The possibilities and constraints associated with each modality are detailed below.

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Large classes will most likely lead to the setting up of alternate groups of students to organize access to the classrooms on UNIGE premises. Such a set up will be organised by programme directors and/or departments/centres/institutes. Groups may be formed, where appropriate, on a principle of choice by alphabetical order, by alternating days or weeks, or any other system deemed relevant.

This organization will certainly have an impact on the amount of content transmitted during each class session. It may therefore be useful to consider the following measures:

 

  • Recording courses and making them available to students.
    • The use of Zoom is possible when classrooms are not equipped with Mediaserver.

It will be important to ensure that the recordings are sequenced throughout the day as to facilitate their access and make it as easy as possible for students to retrieve specific excerpts.It will be important to ensure that the recordings are sequenced throughout the day as to facilitate their access and make it as easy as possible for students to retrieve specific excerpts.
 

  • Offering asynchronous online activities to support learning

Scheduling full days of teaching over a significant period of time can lead student motivation and engagement to drop. To support them, it may be useful to offer complementary online activities, either synchronous or asynchronous, between teaching sessions. In addition to making course recordings available, the Moodle platform can be used to set up additional activities:

 

  • Ensuring that the pedagogical team is available to support students

Whenever possible, offices hours may be extended to accommodate student questions. These hours can be offered in person or remotely on Zoom.

As with the above-described alternate groups “on site” modality, the streaming modality will likely rely on the setting up of groups to organise access to the classrooms on UNIGE premises. Again, such a set up will be organised by programme directors and/or departments/centres/institutes. Groups may be formed, where appropriate, on a principle of choice by alphabetical order, by alternating days or weeks, or any other system deemed relevant.

The use of Mediaserver in its Media Live Streaming version is proposed in the equipped rooms.

The use of Zoom is possible when classrooms are not equipped with Mediaserver.

Using the streaming modality for teaching has been tested and analysed by Prof. Jérémy Lucchetti. It has proven effective for learning, but presents some challenges, especially for students with difficulties.

Managing a group of students composed of some taking the class on site while others doing so remotely may generate challenges, such as decreased attention spans and unbalanced interaction. Importantly, the cumulative fatigue that is inherent to spending full days in a online/blended learning environment usually exacerbates the issue of dropping attention spans. It may therefore be useful to consider the following avenues:
 

  • Alternating activities during the day

In order to reduce fatigue, it may be helpful to alternate activities regularly throughout the day, reduce the duration of these activities, and alternate between synchronous/asynchronous and individual work /group work activities.
 

  • Enhancing interactivity 

Organizing activities allowing for simultaneous participation of those students present physically in the classroom and those taking the class remotely can contribute to improving attention spans, interactivity and group cohesion.

Voting, debates, collaborative group activities are all possible alternatives. For further guidance and ressources, please refer to the section dedicated to improving interactivity.  
 

  • Recording courses and making them available to students

To allow students to revisit a given course, it may be useful to record the course.

The use of Mediaserver in its Media Live Streaming version is proposed in the equipped rooms.

The use of Zoom is possible when classrooms are not equipped with Mediaserver.

The availability of recordings is very much appreciated by students, as indicated in the survey carried out in May 2020 by the CVO.  
 

  • Offering asynchronous online activities to support learning

In addition to making course recordings available, the Moodle platform can be used to set up additional activities: 

 

  • Ensuring that the pedagogical team is available to support students

Whenever possible, offices hours may be extended to accommodate student questions. These hours can be offered in person or remotely on Zoom.

In the full distance learning modality, teaching days can be alternately synchronous and asynchronous or alternate synchronous and asynchronous activities within the same teaching day.


For a synchronous distance learning session, the use of Zoom’s “Meeting” function is recommended and, in the case of very large numbers of students, either the “Large Meeting” or the “Webinar” functions may also be considered. Please refer to the Zoom tutorials available on the dedicated section of this website.

During this type of blended online learning session, it is recommended to specify from the outset the rules for using the video and interacting with other participants (see the Zoom tutorial on good practices when interacting on Zoom)

Supporting interactivity and the variety of speeches and course materials can be very useful.

In order to reduce fatigue, it may be helpful to alternate activities regularly throughout the day, reduce the duration of these activities, and alternate between synchronous/asynchronous and individual work /group work activities.


For an asynchronous distance learning session or activity, students may be asked to:

  • View part of a MOOC
  • Complete a series of activities and assignments to support learning: 

The flipped classroom approach offers an effective way of linking synchronous and asynchronous teaching days.
 

Ensuring that the pedagogical team is available to support students

Whenever possible, offices hours may be extended to accommodate student questions. These hours can be offered in person or remotely on Zoom.

The blended learning modality can build on the elements presented in the above sections. It is complemented by fully remote sessions. The latter can take place synchronously or asynchronously.


For a synchronous distance learning session, the use of Zoom’s can be appropriate. Please refer to the Zoom tutorials available on the dedicated section of this website.

During this type of blended online learning session, it is recommended to specify from the outset the rules for using the video and interacting with other participants (see the Zoom tutorial on good practices when interacting on Zoom).

Supporting interactivity and the variety of speeches and course materials can be very useful.

In order to reduce fatigue, it may be helpful to alternate activities regularly throughout the day, reduce the duration of these activities, and alternate between synchronous/asynchronous and individual work /group work activities.


For an asynchronous distance learning session, students may be asked to:

  • View part of a MOOC
  • Complete a series of activities and assignments to support learning: 

 

Ensuring that the pedagogical team is available to support students

Whenever possible, offices hours may be extended to accommodate student questions. These hours can be offered in person or remotely on Zoom.